A place to pause.
Counselling and Therapy for adults who are carrying more than they show. Online, or in person in Pune.
Sound familiar?
Thoughts people carry for months.
People often carry these thoughts for months before saying them out loud. If one of them sounds like you, you're not alone, and it's something we can work on.
“My mind won't switch off, even at night.”
“I keep overthinking small things.”
“Sunday evening already feels heavy.”
“I'm doing everything right on paper. So why do I feel empty?”
“I'm hard on myself in ways I'd never be with a friend.”
“I can't say no, and then I resent it.”
“Home expectations and my own wishes keep pulling in opposite directions.”
“I don't know if I'm in the right career.”
“I'm good at my job, but I dread going in every day.”
You don't need to have the right words yet. Starting with “I'm not sure what's wrong” is enough.
What I work with
Whatever you bring is welcome here.
These are the things people most often come in with. If yours isn't listed, you're still welcome to reach out.
- Anxiety & overthinking
- Stress & burnout
- Mood related concerns
- Emotional challenges
- Relationships & interpersonal issues
- Self-esteem & personal growth
- Anger
- Behavioural & habit related concerns
- Life transitions
- Work & career
Put the weight down for a while.
The idea
Why “The 65th Square”?
Life is lived on 64 squares, and each one asks something of you. The 65th asks nothing.
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1 · The 64 squares
A board has 64 squares, and life is played out on all of them: work, family, friendships, expectations, other people watching. On every square, something is asked of you.
And most of them belong to a role:
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2 · The 65th square
The 65th square isn't on that board. Here, nothing is expected of you.
- No one is waiting for your reply or your next decision.
- You don't have to perform, explain or be strong.
- You can set things down for an hour, breathe, and feel what you've been too busy to feel.
- Nothing needs to be solved in a hurry.
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3 · Built together
This square doesn't exist on its own. We build it together, every session, from
You set the pace, and nothing you bring is too small or too much.
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4 · Yours to carry
And the aim isn't for you to need it forever. Over time, the pause, the clarity and a kinder way of talking to yourself start coming with you,
until you can find your own 65th square in the middle of an ordinary day.
What I believe
Four ideas behind how I work.
- 01
Feeling stuck isn't a flaw.
It's usually a pattern. Patterns can be seen, and what can be seen can change.
- 02
You don't need a crisis to deserve support.
Feeling heavy, tired or unsure is reason enough to talk.
- 03
You are the expert on your life.
I bring tools and a trained eye. You bring what you know about yourself. We work it out together.
- 04
Every reaction once made sense.
The habits that trouble you today often began as ways to cope. We look at them with curiosity, not blame.
My approach
How I work
Eclectic approach
Every person who walks in carries a different story, so I don't work from one fixed script. Instead, I draw on ideas from several approaches and shape them into a plan that fits you.
- CBT & REBT
- ACT
- DBT-informed skills
- Parts work
- Psychodynamic
- Humanistic
A plan we build together
In our first few sessions, we understand what's going on and what you'd like to be different. From there, we build a plan together and keep checking what's helping, adjusting as we go.
Evidence-based, trauma-informed
The methods I use are evidence-based: grounded in research, not trends. And my work is trauma-informed.
- You set the pace.
- You decide what to share and when.
- Feeling safe always comes before going deeper.
The pathway
- 1
Message on WhatsApp
Just say hello. You don't need to explain everything yet.
- 2
Enquiry form
We'll send you a short form so we understand what you're looking for.
- 3
Free 15-minute consultation
A short call to answer your questions and see if this feels right. After it, session length and fees are shaped around what you need.
- 4
Agreement & confidentiality
We go over and sign the agreement, including how everything you share stays confidential.
- 5
First session
We talk about what's bringing you here and what you'd like to be different. No pressure to share everything at once.
- MSc Clinical Psychology, MIT ADT University, Pune
- Certificate Course in Applied Psychotherapies (7 months)
- Certificate Course in Child Psychotherapies (3 months)
NCAHP Enrollment no. 99-3224-5641-6650
About me
I'm Gaurav Zagade.
I'm a counselling psychologist in Pune. I hold an MSc in Clinical Psychology, with further training in applied psychotherapies and child psychotherapy.
I believe most people have far more capacity to grow than they can see when they're struggling. My work is to help you see it too, and to help you thrive, not just get through.
Therapy works best when it's your own choice. If you're reading this, that choice may already have begun.
What I want to offer is a space that feels genuinely safe to talk in, with the kind of patient, careful listening that's rare in everyday life.
Sometimes what helps most isn't advice but a different experience:
being heard where you expected judgement,
met with curiosity where you expected criticism.
That's often where people start to see things differently.
A life outside the therapy room
Therapy isn't the only work I do. Alongside it, I am a chess coach, and I've chosen to keep it that way. A life outside the therapy room keeps me balanced and grounded.
It also gives me perspective. I can sit with you in what's hard without losing my footing. When things feel heavy for you, there's someone in the room who stays steady.
I won't
- hand you answers
- tell you how to live
I will
- listen
- ask honest questions
- help you see your patterns clearly enough to choose differently
Balanced
Therapy is one part of a full working life, so I come to each session fresh, not depleted.
Grounded
I stay connected to the everyday world you live in, not just the language of psychology.
Healthy perspective
I stay close to your experience without being pulled under by it, so I can stay steady when you can't.
Questions
Things people often ask
Is what I share confidential?
Yes, with the standard exception when someone's safety is at serious risk.
How many sessions will I need?
It depends on what you're working on. Many people notice some change in the first few weeks; we review together.
Is online therapy as effective as in person?
For most concerns, research shows it works well. Choose whatever feels more comfortable.
Do I need a “serious problem” to come?
No.
What if you're not the right fit for me?
Tell me. I'll help you find someone who is.
I know you as a chess coach. Can I see you for therapy?
To protect both relationships, I don't take my chess students or their family members as therapy clients. I'm happy to recommend a colleague.
How long are sessions, and what do they cost?
There isn't a fixed package. Session length and fees are customised to what you need, and we agree on them together after the free 15-minute consultation. Please give at least 24 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule.
When you're ready
You don't have to have it figured out to start.
Talk to me
Send a message with a question or to find a time. We'll go at a pace that feels okay for you.
+91 90220 03491 zagade2002gaurav@gmail.com- Getting started
- A free 15-minute consultation; session length and fees are tailored to you after that
- Where
- Online, or in person at Manjari Bk., Pune
- Languages
- Marathi · Hindi · English
Not ready yet? Start here, free.
Short notes on stress, patterns and finding your own 65th square, once in a while. Read at your own pace, and reach out whenever it feels right.
Confidential. What you share stays between us, except where someone's safety is at serious risk.
Your privacy. Session notes are stored securely and are never shared without your consent. Messages are used only to arrange sessions.
Not an emergency service. I don't provide crisis counselling. If you need urgent help, please use the helplines below.